From Tuesday 1st September the Minor Ailments Service is once again available at community pharmacies. The service supports patients to manage and treat a range of minor ailments under the professional healthcare guidance of a community pharmacist. The service is accessible without an appointment and a list conditions can be found at http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/2055.htm
If you have any query about this service, please contact your local HSCB Pharmacy Adviser or the CPNI Office.
A recently published survey by epilepsy charities Epilepsy Action, Epilepsy Society and Young Epilepsy found one in ten (11%) women who are currently taking the epilepsy medicine valproate are unaware of the possible risk of birth defects if taken in pregnancy. Furthermore, one in five (18%) don’t know that, when taken in pregnancy, the medicine could also cause learning and developmental delays in children.
Under the current regulations, valproate must no longer be used for women and girls who are able to become pregnant unless there is a Pregnancy Prevention Plan (PPP) in place. The PPP, mandatory at prescription, is an intervention from the MHRA designed to make sure patients are fully aware of the risks of valproate use in pregnancy and the need to avoid becoming pregnant.
The survey found that many women with epilepsy are still not receiving information from health professionals about the risks of valproate, leaving their potential future children at risk of harm.
” Valproate dispensing from the pharmacist
The full report can be accessed here
Reminder:
PHARMACISTS are asked to take the following IMPORTANT ACTIONS:
To order new or further PPP materials, please contact Sanofi medical information department on 0845 372 7101 or email UK-Medicalinformation@sanofi.com.
Community Pharmacy can play a leading role in the re-building of the Health and Social Care sector as COVID -19 surge plans reduce.
The Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene, has said that the community pharmacy network here can provide significant support in getting the health and social care system back on its feet after COVID -19 surge plans have been downgraded.
The call comes as the Health Minister Robin Swann has announced that he will be bringing forward a strategic framework for the re-establishment of the health service after it adapted to accommodate the system to prepare for hundreds of COVID -19 patients to be admitted to hospital.
The representative body has said that community pharmacists already play an enhanced role in transforming our health service and that now is the opportunity to invest further in the network as the current crisis gradually lifts.
Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said:
“We are only too aware of the unrelenting pressures that the entire health service has been placed under during the darkest moments of the spread of COVID-19. We are not out of the woods as yet, but the Minister and Department have a difficult job on their hands in piecing back together elements of the health service that had to be dismantled to accommodate a worst case scenario.”
“Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, waiting times at the likes of GP surgeries were significant and the health service was under visible strain. During the recent weeks and months, it is apparent that the community pharmacy network stepped up massively and adapted almost overnight to keep the flow of vital medicines to patients managing conditions in addition to those presenting symptoms at pharmacies who were unable to access their GP.”
“We know that with the right resourcing and financial backing that pharmacists can do so much more to alleviate bottlenecks. The Minister has stated that there is a clear opportunity to make a number of improvements and we are keen to work with the Department to ensure that any investment in community pharmacy is one that works to help transform the health service. If we do not invest in transformative services, then we are putting public health at risk.”
Serious Shortage Protocol: Important information
You will have received recently a communication from the Department of Health NI in respect of a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) relating to fluoxetine 10mg tablets which was issued by the Department of Health England.
DHNI has confirmed that, although the SSP issued states that it applies to Northern Ireland, this is not the case. The SSP is not operational here but may be activated at a future date. If a decision is taken to activate the SSP at a future date, further communication will issue from the DHNI.
Action
Contractors should:
www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3063.htm
The CPNI will continue to support and inform contractors in the event that SSPs are rolled out here.
Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs): Issue of guidance.
In early 2019, following consultation, changes to the Human Medicines Regulations were made to allow the introduction of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) in the event of a serious shortage of medicines. The necessary changes to the Northern Ireland Pharmaceutical Regulations came into force on 31 October 2019.
CPNI has previously notified contractors of the general principles behind SSPs: CPNI-Summary-Serious-Shortage-Protocols-SSPs (issued 27 June 2019)
Further detailed guidance has now been issued by the Department of Health: www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3063.htm
This guidance includes form SSP/F/01 which can be downloaded to facilitate the notification of prescribers where necessary. (Remember that notification of the prescriber is only required where a supply is made to a patient for a therapeutic equivalent or when notification of the prescriber is required under the terms of a specific SSP). It is not a requirement to use this form and other means of notifying prescribers may be used. Contractors should consider keeping a record of all such notifications. A copy of FAQs and a patient information leaflet will also be made available on the BSO website.
The intention is that an SSP will be issued only if a medicine has been judged by Ministers to be in serious short supply. The SSP will set out a clear protocol for community pharmacists to follow if they are unable to source that medicine for patients who have been prescribed it.
Contractors will be notified of the issuing of SSPs applicable to Northern Ireland in a number of ways:
• Business Service Organisation’s website http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3063.htm – this dedicated section on the BSO website will contain details of all SSPs. For ease, new SSPs or amended existing SSPs will be flagged; • Contractors will be advised by the HSCB when a new SSP is published, or when an amendment is made to an existing SSP, and this will include a link to the BSO website; • Information on SSPs is expected to appear within Trade journals (for example, Chemist and Druggist or the Pharmaceutical Journal) and their associated websites; and • CPNI website – issue of, and updates to, SSPs operating in Northern Ireland will be highlighted on the CPNI website.
Action Contractors and pharmacists are advised to:
• Familiarise themselves with the guidance and to take any actions which they may need to prepare their dispensing teams; and
• Check with their professional indemnity insurance providers to ensure that cover applies to supplies made in accordance with SSPs.
Community Pharmacy NI has welcomed the announcement of £13.25m in funding for the community pharmacy network by the Department of Health.
Community Pharmacy NI is the professional membership body which represents over 500 local community pharmacies across Northern Ireland.
This funding boost comes amidst huge strain placed on the Health Service during the recent surge of the virus and the challenges now faced by the Health and Social Care estate in rebuilding and transforming services as the pandemic subsides.
The funding allocation is set to help sustain and expand transformative services provided by community pharmacists, building on their response to the Covid-19 pandemic whilst at the same time going some way in easing workforce pressures and financial uncertainty.
Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene said:
“We welcome the announcement from the Department of Health. This funding will allow the community pharmacy network to sustain and develop services to build upon its vital, frontline role. This allocation signals a move forward for community pharmacy as a key service in the new post-Covid health and social care system supporting important service provision to patients. It is a clear recognition of the critical role of the sector, not only in the safe supply of medicines, but as the fabric which holds local communities together in times of crisis.”
“Community Pharmacy NI would like to thank the Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA, for his commitment to the community pharmacy network. We are only too aware of the extreme pressures the health system has faced recently. Despite only being in post as Health Minister since the return of the Assembly earlier this year, he has listened, and prioritised community pharmacy and we must acknowledge his commitment in finding solutions.”
“We also commend the work of the officials in the Department of Health and HSCB who have worked collaboratively with CPNI in securing this funding, which will have a transformative and positive impact for patients here.”
“From the very beginning of the pandemic, community pharmacists have worked night and day to support their local communities. During the recent months, it is clear that the community pharmacy network rose to the professional challenges and adapted almost overnight to keep the flow of vital medicines to patients managing conditions in addition to those presenting symptoms at pharmacies who were unable to access their GP.”
“This funding boost is hugely positive and will enable community pharmacy to address immediate pressures and help with the challenges of the post-Covid Health Service, assisting community pharmacy to provide even more services to ensure our communities are served and supported and that public health is protected.”
Community Pharmacy NI Chair, James McCaughan added:
“From the earliest stages of the Covid-19 health crisis, community pharmacists were all too aware that they were at the frontline of the healthcare response. We saw an incredible surge of patients going to local community pharmacies across NI to seek advice and obtain vital medicines.”
“The pandemic highlighted the agility of our network, with pharmacies changing overnight in many cases. New layouts were designed, Perspex screens were erected, social distancing measures implemented, and stocks of PPE were provided to ensure both public and staff safety so that community pharmacies were open, accessible and could look after patients.”
“The pressures of the pandemic have had an emotional and physical toll on many of our colleagues, but it has also shone a light on their passion and energy for our local communities and our commitment to ensure support and care is provided at all times.”
“Community pharmacy is the heartbeat of our neighbourhoods, with many of our patients coming to us when they needed us most. This new funding allocation shows the Department of Health’s commitment to ensuring community pharmacy is a key component to the rebuilding of the Health Service. We welcome the funding news today and look forward to maintaining and expanding on our services in future.”
The arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020 transformed the local community pharmacy landscape overnight. Working practices quickly changed, unfamiliar physical adaptions were put in place with an unprecedented spike in workload needing to be managed.
Throughout this time, community pharmacists continued to be the most accessible healthcare professional in primary care. We would like to thank the community pharmacy teams for their professionalism and dedication as they supported their local communities in the face of a public health emergency of which none of us have seen in our lifetime.
We would also like to extend our thanks to everyone who has shown their appreciation for their local community pharmacy in the past weeks and months. From kind words, cakes, cards and drawings, it has meant a lot to our amazing community pharmacy teams!
Thank you! #pharmacyheroes
